


How to Choose

by lextenou



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Corporate Espionage, F/F, Inspired by Agatha Christie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-21
Updated: 2017-07-30
Packaged: 2018-09-10 23:47:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8944219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lextenou/pseuds/lextenou
Summary: Regina Mills, CEO of Mills Holdings Incorporated, has been happily raising Henry with Emma Swan in their shared apartment. The leaves are turning, and a change is coming - recently returned Robin Locksley has arranged for he and Regina to plan their wedding over a long weekend in upstate New York. Presented with a difficult decision, Regina must determine what is important and figure out how to choose.





	1. People Are Bound To Give Themselves Away

**Author's Note:**

> This story has been expanded and is now closer to my original vision of what it was meant to be. Also, there's an epilogue, for those who have lingering questions that were not answered within the original story.
> 
> This story was inspired in equal parts by a dream I once had, and the collected works of Agatha Christie.

Emma yawned widely and shuffled out of the bedroom, her hair in a mussed tangle. Body warmed sheets still exerted their siren call upon her, with their decadent comfort, but resistance was all too easy. The subtle lure of freshly brewed coffee wafted through the air of the condo, melding with the enticing scent of fresh waffles and frying bacon.

Regina must be happy. Or need something desperately.

Or, and most likely, she was going to miss the little shit.

A peek into her boy's room satisfied her that he was still dead to the world. He wouldn't be heading off to camp for another couple hours - another possible reason for Regina's sudden desire to cook a special breakfast on a non-holiday. He remained sprawled across his bed in an ungainly heap, his head and one distressingly large foot peeking out from his covers. Despite his meteoric growth, he remained Emma's baby boy, and she smiled to see him in repose.

Rubbing at her eyes, she entered the large kitchen. A single mug sat on the butcher block island, steam curling from the rich brew. Ignoring the mug for the moment, Emma sidled up next to Regina and slid an arm around her waist, resting her head against the cooking woman's shoulder. She released a long, overblown sigh against the side of Regina's throat.

A soft chuckle greeted her efforts, and a gentle kiss was placed against her temple. "Morning, lazy ass."

Emma raised her head, tucking her chin against Regina's shoulder. "I'm not the one who decided it would be a good idea to spend half the night trying to beat me at Disney trivia."

Regina snorted and bumped her hip against Emma's, freeing her arms so she could pull the next waffle out of the waffle maker. "You lost horribly and you know it."

Arms crossed over her chest, Emma leaned against the counter, the bowl containing the waffle batter positioned directly behind her. "You totally distracted me, that's not fair."

Regina rolled her eyes and pointed at the island, her voice filled with mirth. "Drink your coffee. Breakfast is almost ready." Leaning back so as not to yell directly into Emma's ear, despite how much she deserved it, Regina called to the still sleeping boy. "Henry! Breakfast!"  
  
"Coming!" was shouted down the hallway, the twin thuds of his feet hitting the hardwood sounding softly beneath the continued sizzling of bacon. Before either could admonish the boy to be cautious of disturbing their neighbors, Emma's phone beeped. Glancing at the screen, she answered and silenced the insistent prattle.

"Morning, Rubes." Regina raised an eyebrow at the publicist calling at such an early hour. "No, no change. Regina's got a meeting at eleven." Emma snapped a piece off the end of a strip of bacon, pulling her hand back just quickly enough to foil Regina's smack at her hand. "Right, it's still on." She frowned and popped the bacon in her mouth, listening intently. "Handle it. Get Kathryn involved if you need to. That's what we're relying on you guys for." Emma nodded once. "Thanks, Rubes."

Regina slid a plate of waffles and a plate of bacon onto the table. The bowl of freshly cut fruit already sat on the tablecloth, closer to Emma's customary seat than Henry's. Fetching the coffee pot in its homemade cozy, Regina topped off their coffees and slid into her seat. Emma sighed with contentment and bit into piece of cantaloupe. Henry skidded into the room, his hair sticking straight up from his head in a manner reminiscent of his mother after she'd had a night that ran far too late.

His eyes lit up at the spread, shooting his gap-toothed grin at the two women who waited for him at the table.

"Did you wash your face?"

Henry's face looked stricken as he gazed longingly at the waffles. "No..."

"March, young man."

Shoulders slumped, he trudged to the bathroom, splashed the required water on his face and scrubbed. When he returned, a pile of strawberries and whipped cream topped a waffle on his plate. His wide grin returned.

Emma sipped at her coffee, closing out of the notification that her trip to Bonn was set for the following month. She flicked open her email and scanned the brief missive from August. Her lip twitched, the terse lines of confirmed departure and approach more than adequately displaying his irritation with the task. She placed her phone face down on the table, her attention turning to the excitable boy next to her. "You excited for today?"

He giggled, shoveling a big mouthful of whipped cream, strawberries and waffle directly into his mouth. He nodded, not risking a glance over at Regina to confirm that she was giving him a reproachful look. He swallowed, taking a sip of his milk. "Dylan and me are gonna be bunk mates."

"Dylan and I." Emma smiled at the boy, her hands curled around her mug.

"Dylan and I." Henry's dutiful recitation was immediately followed by a wide grin. "Can we play Splatoon?"

Emma hummed low in her throat. "You know I'm gonna splat you." She reached over and poked at his ear. "I'm totally gonna use my Splatling on you!"

"Nuh uh! I'm gonna use a Disruptor!"

"No, you're going to play online and splat everyone else." Regina speared a piece of melon, meeting Emma's gaze directly with a wicked grin.

"Go ahead and get it set up when you finish, buddy. I'll be right in after we clear the table."

Henry nearly wiggled off his chair as he quickly finished his last few bites and his milk. He slid from the table and scampered to the den, ready to get in some practice before Emma appeared and they starting splatting in earnest. Emma drained the last of her coffee, setting down her mug with a satisfied sigh.

"If you can double check his bag, I'll keep him distracted until its time for him to go." Emma's finger traced the pattern on her mug idly, her mouth curving in a small smile. "You know he's going to miss you."

Regina rolled her eyes and huffed. "He'll be too busy running through the woods to notice." Her thumb rubbed against the slight roughness of her earthenware mug. "I am not looking forward to this."

Emma reached over, her hand resting over Regina's. "You can do it. We believe in you."

Regina gave a small smile and sipped her coffee. They sat in companionable silence for a few minutes before Regina rose. "I need to get dressed."

"I've got this. Go make yourself pretty."

True to her word, the table was soon clear. Henry had done as requested and set up Splatoon. He was in a quick match, dropping Disruptors and firing paint at everyone who came into his view. Emma slid next to him on the couch, picking up her Wiimote and Nunchuck. "You ready to make them burn, kiddo?"

He grinned at her. "They're going down!"

A few moments later, the steady staccato beat of heels on hardwood indicated Regina's return. She came around the couch and glanced at the screen, then leaned down and kissed Henry's temple. "Be good and have fun. You can call us any time."

"Yes, mom." His eyes did not leave the screen as his Inkling was splatted into a bright green puddle. He groaned, but took the opportunity to reach over and quickly hug Regina. "I love you."

"Love you too." Regina watched for a breath, until her phone buzzed. Glancing at the screen, she nodded to herself and turned to the mirror that hung on the wall. "I've got that meeting today, but other than that, we're free and clear." Regina fluffed out her hair, double checking her lipstick. "The car service is here. Make some dinner plans and text me where to meet you." A raised thumbs up elicited an eyeroll. Typical. Regina leaned down and pressed a kiss to the crown of Emma's head. "Have fun splatting them all, dear."

The sleek non-descript sedan performed admirably at transporting Regina to the office. This meeting was the only one she had prior to the coming long weekend. The correspondence she'd caught up on prior to Emma's awakening that morning had been fraught with the typical claptrap, and all easily handled by her team. This meeting remained the only one which required her personal attention, and she would have it no other way.

She swept into the headquarters of Mills Holdings Incorporated, smiling at the few employees who had not taken her up on the half day with full pay offer prior to the long weekend. As she reached her office, she spotted her appointment, irritatingly early.

"Well, hello, little lady." The grin that spread across Robin's face was, no doubt, meant to be charming. How it came across was smarmy and condescending. That may have been due in no small part to the blatant disrespect in his tone, and the downright vulgar way his eyes tracked over her body.

"Mr. Locksley. Do come in."

Robin smirked at Regina's assistant, tipped his head and followed Regina into her office. He lowered himself into one of the visitor's chairs, his smirk relaxing into a smug grin. "Interesting decorating choice. With so much black and white, there's a lot of room for some...color." His fingers flicked toward the couch along the wall, the stark contrast of light and dark splashing behind the single plush red cushion. The decorative bowl on the table, crafted by a local Brooklyn artist out of metal scrap and painted a vibrant white, held rich red apples replaced every other day by her assistant with the discards being added to the break rooms throughout the offices. His dismissive perusal of the room was ignored.

"I suppose that is a change you are considering." The tip of Regina's uniquely patterned black body S.T. Dupont pen drifted steadily across the contracts before her, appending her initials to the appropriately marked locations. She struck through a section of the contract and notated the need for rework. She set her pen down. The contract, while a passable distraction, deserved her full attention, unlike the jackanape that sullied her chair.

"Do cut the crap, Regina. You know damned well that you're going to do exactly as I've told you. Otherwise your precious little prince is going to find himself at the forefront of a media storm Paris wishes she could inspire."

Regina's eyebrow twitched, her fingertips brushing over the contract before her. "So you've said. Repeatedly." Her lips thinned slightly. "Along with assurances that I will enjoy the wedding night."

"Oh, I have no doubt we will both enjoy it." His lips twitched back into a smirk, not bothering to hide his study of her deliberately not visible cleavage. She set down her Dupont with care, her hand instead wrapping around a steel and gold body Cross. Her fingers traced over its lines and rolled it, her dark eyes not moving from monitoring Robin's open perusal of all the parts of her he could spy. "I've never had any complaints."

"I'm sure you haven't."

Robin stood. "We're to be in the Catskills this evening."

Regina's left hand spread over the itinerary, and she gave a single dip of her head in acknowledgment. "The arrangements have been made." Her index finger partially covered the word "suite". Her right remained gripped around the off the shelf Cross in her hand.

"Make sure to speak up about anything you'd like included during the wedding planning." He laughed softly. The pen in Regina's hand bent slightly. "Other than wishing to get out of it."

"I'm quite sure I'll be able to make my opinion well known." The steel shaft in her hand bowed further.

"Good. After all, it's not like you're going to get married again. Might as well give you your dream wedding." Robin stood and leaned over the desk, his fingers splaying over the contract. The tip of his forefinger obscured part of the word "fragrance". "Because afterwards, your life will change."

"So you've indicated." Regina remained leaning forward against her desk, meeting Robin's condescension head on. "This trip will go as planned."

Robin straighted, adjusting his coat. "We've got a tasting with the caterers at noon tomorrow. Be on time."

Regina waved her hand. "Until then." Robin snatched Regina's hand and drew it towards himself. The broad oak edge of Regina's desk dug into her lower ribs. He pressed his lips to her hand, the slight roughness of his designer stubble scratching lightly at her skin.

"Until then, Mrs. Locksley."

He turned and sauntered from the room. She heard the click of his tongue at her assistant. She placed the Cross pen and its cap into the wastebasket. It's now dented body served her no purpose. She picked up her Dupont and returned to poring over the contract. She initialed and noted which pages required something additional. A scant few minutes later, she rose and gathered the contract. With a soft hand, Regina slid the cap back on the special edition Dupont and placed Henry's Christmas gift to her back on its TIE Fighter stand.

She gathered her purse and coat and left her office. Her assistant rose, coming around the desk.

"He is truly the single most irritating human being I have ever met."

Regina raised an eyebrow and smiled. "You've never fought with Emma over the remote."

Her assistant laughed and held out a hand. "How'd it look? I thought Joseph should have just let C.J. handle the contract."

Regina handed over the contract, her lips pressed together in a thin line. "Make it happen. Joseph's work is beyond sub-par. Inform him that if he tries to step so far out of place again, the highest he will ever ascend will be meter maid." Regina glanced at her watch and sighed. "You've called for my car?"

"Its waiting downstairs."

"Excellent. Let Paris know I'm handling the contract. We will be able to get her new line launched in time for the September issue. I'll leave it to her to handle that end. Make sure that camp has received the additional protection. If Ruby needs anything, I'll be directing her to you. Actually, go over there, see if she needs anything from us. If so, handle it. Get Jordyn. Inform him that if the Tokyo office comes back with anything as reprehensible as what he placed in front of me yesterday, I will be sending him out there personally to clean house. This bargain basement idiocy will end."

"The Modesto office is having a theft issue with the warehouses. I'm organizing a security audit. Shanghai office indicates that there's rumblings regarding Mr. Locksley's biggest holding. I've forwarded the information to you, Ruby and Kathryn."

Regina's grin neared feral. "Excellent. Don't forget to expense dinner for Ruby. Something nice."

"Consider it done. Anything else?"

Regina swept toward the elevator, her hand raised in a wave. "Enjoy your weekend. The family is counting on you."

The ride to upstate New York was, as usual for mid-August, packed with weekenders and leaf peepers. Each winding road that brought her closer to the small town of Hudson thinned slowly, opening up drastically after passing White Plains, until there were only a couple other cars on the track with her. Her driver was thankfully silent, handling the powerful engine with ease. The trip from her office at 52nd and Lex had at first seemed as though it would be rife with irritants, but her driver handled the traffic with aplomb. A short two hours later, the car pulled to a stop in front of Mount Merino Manor, and Regina's eyebrow raised at spying the view.

Vast expanses of turning leaves spread out before her as she stepped out of the car. Tipping the driver, she dispatched him back to the city.

"Fancy running into you here." Emma leaned back in a cafe chair on the wide porch, a glass of iced tea on the small table next to her. "Everything go okay?"

Regina sighed and took the glass, taking a long sip of the refreshingly cool liquid. "As well as could be expected. I may have to restaff Tokyo, but everything else looks to be in hand." Regina set the glass down, adjusting her purse in her grip. "Did you get everything set up for Bonn?"

Emma smiled, rising from her seat, her hand brushing against Regina's hip as she drew to her full height. "All set. You'll have a chance to surprise the Amsterdam office and find out why they've been so quiet." She drained the last of the iced tea and gestured to the door. "You'll love the room. It's the Master Sabine Suite." Excitement fairly vibrated from her. "It's got a whirlpool tub!"

True to Emma's assessment, Regina loved the room. Especially the quite sizable whirlpool tub.

\---

The morning sun filtered through the gauzy curtains, washing the lone inhabitant of the bed in soft light. The quiet click of the door opening made her curl deeper into the downy covers. In short order, the enticing scent of rich coffee drifted to her. A single eye cracked open, showing the insufferably cheerful grin that split Emma's face.

"Who's the lazy ass now?"

Regina grumbled and turned over, presenting her back to the interrupting woman. "Go 'way. Sleep time."

"You may want to rethink that, considering it's already nine o'clock."

Regina yawned and stretched, her arms rising from beneath the broad white covers. "Tell me you brought coffee."

Emma chuckled and tapped the nightstand. "Just the way you like it. I've got a call to take care of. I'll meet you downstairs when you're ready." She leaned over and wrapped her arms around the still prone woman in a quick hug. "Don't take too long."

A soft grumbling sounded from the bed, eliciting a quiet laugh from the retreating Emma.

A quick nibble from the breakfast samplings later, and they bundled off to the caterers. Regina let her gaze drift across the vast array of trees as they passed, enjoying the myriad colors that greeted them. A sense of peace settled over her features, and she smiled slightly, the low volume of music streaming through the car's speakers.

She glanced over at her companion, whose long fingers tapped against the leather wrapped steering wheel with such a lack of rhythm that had Regina not known better, she would have thought it was done deliberately. The hint of smile that teased around her mouth spread and she shifted, settling more comfortably into the ergonomic curves of her seat.

The plain facade of the caterer's appeared as nothing so much but a standard, forgettably pedestrian old building. The brickwork, exposed to the elements beneath chipped layers of paint, betrayed years of repairs with broad whitish grey streaks between the off-red geometry of the bricks. One appeared stamped with some form of crest, a crown festooned with frippery.

Neither woman paid heed.

"Good morning, ladies! Would either of you care for some coffee or tea?" The wide, bright smile of the receptionist shone at them with indefatigable cheer. Emma grinned in return, nudging at Regina as she removed her coat.

"Coffee would be great. Black, please. Cream and sugar for the grump-a-pus."

The receptionist laughed lightly. "Of course. May I take your coat, ma'am?" Regina nodded as she handed the coat, giving a brief glance to the entirely far too young woman before them. "Jack and Ann-Marie are waiting for you in the back." The girl gestured to the large set of double doors to their right. "Please, do go through. I'll be there in just a moment with your coffee."

Emma's callused fingers wrapped around the chilled brass handle, worn shiny from two centuries of constant manipulation. The heavy oak door swung open easily with only the slightest of creaks, quickly removing from view the intricately carved scrollwork that blazoned around the shaker panels. The columns that bracketed the door appeared almost too large for the space until the door fully opened and betrayed the expansive ballroom within. Round tables bedecked with linen tablecloths dyed a delicate rose dotted the room, each encircled by six evenly spaced folding chairs. Emma eyed them as she passed, her eyes lingering on the plush padding on the back and seat of the clean, white chairs.

"Regina!" The pleasant voice rang from just the other side of the cleared area obviously designated as a dance floor. "And Emma! It is such a pleasure to have you!" Tall and clad in L.L. Bean, Carhartt and Duluth, the figure that strode toward them cut just as fine of a figure as when Regina had first laid eyes upon her. Rich cascading waves of dark brown hair were drawn back in a functional ponytail rather than laying loose over the deep logan of her work shirt. "Stef offered you a drink, I trust?"

"We're good." Emma reached out a hand and grasped the woman's in a firm grip. "We'd have been here sooner if I could have convinced her that you'd have coffee waiting just how she likes it."

Regina rolled her eyes and waved off Emma's comment. "Despite what that one likes to parade about, I don't exist solely on coffee and the blood of my enemies." Her hand was grasped warmly in a welcoming shake. "I do also enjoy a good hummus wrap."

Rich laughter sounded throughout the room, echoing through the expansive room without the unusual tinny echo so common among ill designed spaces.

"Please, do sit. We've made sure to prepare a sampling of some dishes that will delight."

Quiet thanks were murmured as their coffees were deposited. Glasses of iced water stood silent sentinel before their place settings, the artfully arranged silverware catching the light.

"What will our first selection be, Jack?" Emma's head tilted as she queried their host. "Chili dogs?"

"You will never let me live that down."

Regina sipped her coffee. "Why you thought that was appropriate for her birthday, I will never fathom."

"It was at Yankee Stadium!"

Emma laughed. "And they were great."

"Getting it out of your jersey, on the other hand..." Regina set her cup down on its saucer and leaned back in her chair. "We're doing a full menu tasting today, correct?"

Jack ran a hand over her forehead and nodded. "Since the salad and soup courses are already decided, we're skipping those and jumping right to the main event."

"I'm sure it will be delightful."

"Ann-Marie?" Jack raised her head and called. "Everything ready?"

"Coming!" Through the swinging door of the kitchen staging area emerged a shorter brunette in an apron. Her hair, clipped close to her head, was covered by a backwards Bruins baseball cap. One hand held a heavily laden tray aloft, the firm muscle of her forearm flexing with each adjustment. "We've got two dishes to start with here. We'll do up something else if anyone informs of food allergies, naturally."

The warmed plates were placed in front of the women. On the left, an artful arrangement of short ribs were stacked in a geometric pile, rich rivulets of gravy arching in broad lines over the meat. Beneath, a bed of vegetables and a small mound of potatoes supported the structure. On the other plate, the vegetables and potatoes were supporting a braised half chicken. A lighter sauce drizzled across the chicken, the scent of lemon and garlic barely wafting from the plate.

"Whoa." Emma's fork had dipped into the potatoes and pulled back, leaving long strings between the plate and her selected bite.

"It's aligot. Basically, French incredibly cheesy potatoes."

Emma slid the morsel into her mouth and her eyes fluttered closed. Ann-Marie chuckled. "Told you she'd love it."

Regina sampled a bite of the short ribs, allowing the flavor to blossom on her tongue. Deep, rich and complex, with just the barest hint of apples used in the sauce, the complementary nutty creaminess of the aligot did much to elevate the bite of the short ribs. The cherrywood smoking of the ribs had done much to enhance their delicacy as well, the meat separating with the barest touch of the fork. She gave a short nod before turning to the chicken and repeating the process. Tender and deceptively juicy, the chicken gave way beneath the fork and knife easily, the herbed crust cracking sharply. The bright lemon in the sauce mixed well with the tarragon that dotted the surface of the chicken, and the rosemary of the potatoes. A soft, pleased smile curved her lips.

The doors were pushed open with a cheery shout. Regina turned her head and raised an eyebrow at the intrusion. "Robin."

He waved his phone at her, his grin splitting his face. "Work called."

Regina hummed but did not reply. Emma took a bite of the vegetables.

Robin pulled his chair close to Regina and reached over, sliding his finger through the short rib gravy and bringing it to his mouth. He grimaced. "This won't do. We need something lighter, something fresher. Make the chicken Mediterranean. And make the other dish blackened red snapper."

Ann-Marie nodded, glancing at Emma and Regina. "I'm sure something can be arranged for you."

Robin waved his hand over the plates. "Hopefully your next offering won't be such a tragedy." He turned to Emma, placing his phone screen down on the table. "Apparently, there's been some kind of trouble with my mobile provider. My people are checking into it. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"

Emma glanced down at the phone. Robin's finger barely brushed it, leaving the distinct T logo visible. Emma raised an eyebrow.

"I'm sure I couldn't tell you anything about that." The distinct tones of her phone erupted in the still air. "Excuse me." She stood and walked a few tables away. "Yes? I see. That doesn't change anything. Yes. Get me Lauren. What?" Emma paced slowly back and forth. "I'll handle it. Lauren. Now." She ran a hand through her hair, releasing a long sigh. "Hey there, sunshine. You should be getting a package in a minute. Yeah, give that a read. It's not going to change the timeline for Bonn, Tim has been very insistent I handle it personally. It's not like all of Deutsche Telekom is going to come crashing down on his head." Emma rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I'm there now. It's not a problem. Oh, absolutely. Sure. Great, see you in a few weeks."

Glancing at her watch, Emma quickly pulled up another number and dialed. Her eyes connected with Regina's mildly amused expression as the hollow tones echoed in her ear.

"Tim? Emma." She paused, low tones reverberating into her ear. "I don't particularly care. You knew the terms. Don't be trying to tell me that its new policy. I wrote your damned policy." Emma let out a short laugh, her hand slicing through the air. "No, you don't. That's what you hired me to do. That's why my people are there." She rolled her eyes. "Tim, you need me more than I need you. Do you really want to piss me off?" Emma smirked. "Like I told you yesterday, August is running the team until I get there. He's sending everything to me. If I find that this flight of idiocy has caused problems, I'm not going to keep it out of my report. You'll take the heat for that along with everything else." Emma gave a wink to Regina, her smirk widening to a full grin. "Yes. I told you, he's good. How good? Ask him what he thinks of Mayer." Emma's fingers tapped against the tablecloth, her fingertips brushing against the tightly woven cotton. "Yep. If you read the release, you'll see he's the lead on it. You'll be fine. This will be fine. You figured out there's a problem. Now it's my job to find out what happened." She tilted her head, irritation flashing across her expression. "I understand that you're worried. That's why I'm working on this. That's why I'll be there in a month. We'll figure this out." Emma released a long, slow breath. "Bitte. Until next month."

Ending the call, Emma slid back into her chair. The previous plates and silverware had been removed and in their place rested a selection of cakes. Regina raised an eyebrow at Emma, who gave a single shake of her head.

"On the left here, we have a lemon sponge with raspberry, then a double chocolate cake with chocolate ganache, and a sample of our traditional."

Robin reached over and dug his fork into the traditional. "Does this come with tiers?"

"We typically have three to four tiers in the traditional, yes."

Robin grinned over at Regina. "Four tiers would be perfect."

Regina slid her fork into the double chocolate then raised it to her lips. Her eyes fluttered closed as she savored the bite. Next to her, Emma repeated her actions on the lemon sponge.

"We also can do a variety of cupcakes in any flavor." Emma glanced at Regina with a grin. "Typically this works best when a single flavor can't be decided on."

"That kind of amateur nonsense won't be necessary. We're not hosting a child's birthday party." Regina's eyebrow twitched. "We'll take the traditional with four tiers." Robin set his fork down and leaned back in his chair, his smirk firmly in place. Jack's cheek twitched.

"We'll make sure everything is arranged as requested."

Robin shoved his chair back with a loud screech and stood. "Excellent." He leaned over and pressed a kiss to Regina's hand, winked at Jack and left the room.

Regina slid the soft cloth napkin over the back of her hand and raised her gaze to meet Ann-Marie's. "Cupcakes, hmm?"

Jack leaned forward, her voice pitched low. "Think he has any idea that red snapper's out of season?"

\---

"Why were you telling your friend at Interpol about Bonn?" Regina flicked the heat on in the car. The lowering daylight had taken with it the last of the warmth.

"There's an on-going investigation that we've just stumbled into."

Regina cut her eyes over to Emma and glared. "Stumbled into how."

"Give me a minute." Emma pressed the phone button on the steering wheel, then spoke. "Call Kathryn's cell."

"Calling Kathryn's cell." The car beeped and shortly the ringing sounded through the car.

"I swear to God if you keep making my life interesting, I will stab you." Kathryn's smooth voice echoed through the car.

Emma laughed. "Its not my fault Regina is so enchanting she got a personal stalker." Regina slapped at Emma's arm lightly, eliciting another chuckle. "Fill us in."

"Shanghai came back with the info, we passed it on to Lauren. You're fine as long as you keep your head down and pass all information on to me. He's shadier than we thought."

Regina glared at Emma. "And how long have we known this?"

"About two hours."

Regina sighed. "Fine. No real progress today. The papers I sent earlier in the week are the only ones I've been able to get ahold of. What I was able to see looked incriminating enough. We should be fine."

"You'll be fine. Go. Enjoy the leaves."

Regina laughed and ended the call, returning her attention to her companion. "I take it Tim was also freaking out." A grunt and a waved hand answered her. "What got his panties in a twist?"

"Last month's DNS breach. He apparently had someone get in his head about securing their network. Thankfully someone sent us a notification that we'd need to have entirely new credentials on the network as a result, enacted tomorrow." Emma's fingers drummed on the steering wheel. "If he does that, August is going to have to trace back everything they do before starting on the investigation into what the fuck happened." She glanced over at Regina. "Don't get me wrong, I'm all for securing their network, but not until we can see it in situ. They supposedly already have two-factor, I want to see how its being used, and how they implemented my lockdown procedures." The steering wheel turned beneath her light touch. "Someone seriously screwed the pooch and I'm damned well going to find out who."

Regina raised a shoulder in a negligent shrug. "I'm sure Amsterdam appreciated their day off." A frown furrowed her brow as she unlatched her seat belt. "There is something seriously wrong in that office."

Emma hummed low as she swung out of the car. Her boots crunched in the gravel and she rolled her shoulders before shutting the door. "The traffic patterns you showed me are definitely forged. The peaks are at weird hours. You're either hosting the streaming for The Killing or someone's fucked up." A hawk darted past, swooping through the air and coming to rest at the top of a distant tree. A low, steady breeze swept through the trees, the rustle of leaves ebbing and rising with the disturbance. Emma reached out a hand and smiled as Regina's warm fingers wrapped around her own. "There are a couple possibilities. Either way, the traps and reports we're running on it should be able to give you an idea of what we're really looking at."

The steady connection of their hands kept them close as they walked through the woods, the bright light of the afternoon sun dappling through the trees. "I think the tree display for the cupcakes will work best."

A soft laugh answered Regina's statement. "You just want as many apples as possible in this thing." A gentle squeeze of her hand underscored the lack of ire. "It looked nice. As long as I can get my lemon cupcakes, I'm happy."

"Mmm. I think you're insane. The chocolate was obviously better." Their shoulders bumped, and they laughed. A long moment passed, their steps steady through the woods. "I'm sorry."

Emma glanced at her, confusion quickly clearing. "You're not the one being a sleazebag."

"I'm the one he's going after." Regina was quiet, her gaze fixated on the ground before them. "I should have been able to prevent this."

"It is not your fault." She squeezed the delicate hand held within her own. "He obviously doesn't read and is arrogant enough to think we can't protect ourselves." Her steps slowed, before she halted, her boots crunching firmly on the gravel as she tugged Regina close. Her arms slid around Regina's waist, allowing for a loose embrace. "We will get through this."

A soft, almost muffled sob sounded against Emma's chest where Regina had tucked her face. "I don't know if I can do this."

Emma raised a hand, gently caressing against Regina's cheek, her fingers softly tracing against the elegant jawline. "You are so strong, sweetheart. You have done more for us than I could have ever asked of you. Hey." Her fingers tapped beneath Regina's chin, drawing her teary gaze upward to allow them to meet, to allow Emma to impress the sincerity of her words on her companion. Her hand curled around Regina's jaw, and a soft smile softened her already tender gaze. "You and I have been through too much to stop now. We can do this. Together."

"Emma." Soft and broken by suppressed tears, Regina's cry sounded as a benediction and indictment.

Threading her fingers through soft blonde, Regina leaned forward, forcefully drawing their mouths together.

A soft titter of birdsong echoed through the trees, thoroughly ignored by the women captured in a heartfelt embrace in the middle of the woods.

\----

The low tones of a muffled phone resounded through the Master Sabine Suite. Emma reached over and slapped at it, bringing it up and glaring at the screen. She dropped her head down and held the phone out. "S'yers."

Regina groaned and took the insistently jangling phone. "Yes?" She shifted, sitting up slightly in the bed.

"You were right on Tokyo." Gruff and irritated, Jordyn's voice echoed across the line. "I'll be there by tomorrow night. I think we should pull from one of the local regionals to fill out the roster."

"How many?" Regina's hand reached over and rubbed at Emma's back, soothing the low grumbles that sounded from the prone woman.

"At least half of management. If this isn't malfeasance, it's malicious idiocy."

"Get it done. Pull who you need to from the regionals and assign them to you. Let's go with unknowns this time. Obviously going with the Ivy League got us in this mess." Regina pushed her hair back behind her ear. "Once things are in place, have new management's first task be a roadmap for recovery. These idiots will not ruin our Tokyo business."

"Got it. Sixes?"

Regina gave a short laugh. "Like these morons deserve a cent of severance. Get with the labor office. Demonstrate to them that these lackwitted buffoons are not only actively undermining my business, they are doing so to the rest of the sector. Use the files - I know some of those imbeciles lied on their applications. I want them gone with prejudice." Tickling fingers drifted across her thigh beneath the blankets. Regina smacked at the hand, shooting a playful glare at her companion.

Jordyn inhaled sharply, then exhaled slowly. "Consider it done. For those I can't find intel on or who might show promise if they learn the right way, should we transfer them stateside?"

"Only if they show promise. For the rest, give them the lump sum." She smiled, her eyes sparkling dangerously in the low light. "Or retain them at reduced wages in the warehouses on the lines."

"Mmm. I'll get resignation packets ready as well, then."

"Good. For the new staff, if any of them don't perform, I'll hold you personally responsible."

"Understood. I'll get it taken care of."

"Excellent. I trust you will not disappoint me as your predecessor did."

A brief assurance and farewell later and Regina was snuggling back down into the soft warmth of the bed. A lanky arm wrapped around her and tugged her close. With a smile, she drifted back into a gentle half-asleep state, content to nap quietly before dinner.

\----

The next morning, breakfast was eschewed in favor of coffee. Regina sipped at the takeaway cup as they pulled in to the deli Robin had chosen. Her phone rang as soon as they stopped.

"Hello baby, how is camp?" Regina waved Emma's questioning glance off and gestured for her to enter the deli. Emma grinned and proceeded. "Now, you remember how we had that big talk day a couple weeks ago, with pictures and everything? It's ready! Are you excited? Everyone's going to learn what a- yes, you look very handsome. Okay, sweetheart. Yes, I'll tell her. Good bye, and be good!"

Talking to Henry had resettled Regina's mind, letting her square her shoulders and enter the deli without a thought for concern. She would gladly deal with the fallout from her actions to finish with this farce.

Emma raised an eyebrow at Regina's return, and received a nod in return. A slight smile curved her lips and she leaned back in her chair. Regina settled back into her seat and leveled an even gaze on Robin, who had not ceased his inane prattle.

"Today is Monday."

Robin's brow furrowed, confusion halting his tirade in its tracks. "...Yes?"

"Vanity Fair will be running an extensive feature as part of their New Establishment issue. 'How to Choose'." Regina sipped at her coffee. "A twelve page spread on my family. Emma and I completed our interviews the week that you first attempted to blackmail me. Henry's was completed the following day. While we've been here, with you attempting to clumsily lay claim to what I've built, the article has been crafted to show to the world both my marriage and my child." Regina slid a glossy magazine across the table to Robin. "The recent debates on the role of mothers in the workplace really helped. The release party should be quite entertaining."

On the cover, Emma stood smirking behind Regina, their hands resting over the low swell of Regina's belly, holding a picture of their son. Regina's head was turned to the side, her forehead resting against Emma's cheek as she smiled. On their entwined fingers glittered matching wedding bands.

Robin's mouth opened. His tongue darted out to moisten his lips. His eyes snapped up to meet Regina's, then shot over to Emma.

Regina stood. "I would say it has been a pleasure, but I choose not to lie." She leaned over the table, a fierce smile pinning Robin to his seat. "Do enjoy your trip home."

Emma stood and followed her wife out the door.

The sun blazed high overhead, the afternoon sun burning off the last of the late morning chill.

Regina inhaled deeply and turned, her low heeled boots resounding on the aged concrete of the sidewalk. Emma's long legs caught her up in short order, the women walking side by side. Emma's hand slid into Regina's. Their fingers entwined and they walked back to their rental car, ready to head home.


	2. Epilogue: After the Murder

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A bit of a dalliance to cover some unanswered questions from part the first.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Interpol red notices are not always actioned as arrest warrants, but can be exercised as such at the discretion of local law enforcement.

Robin Locksley glared at his phone. It had dropped the connection, again, right as he'd been in the middle of negotiating his latest acquisition. Rather, he'd been trying to. Since his conversation with Regina the previous morning - her infuriating denunciation of his well thought out plan - he'd been focused on corralling his business interests. He wouldn't put it above that witch to try to take him out at the knees. 

"Sir? There's-" The timid voice of his secretary was abruptly cut off.

"Robin Locksley?" The slender brunette that stood in his office with a flimsy windbreaker draped over her shoulders would do nicely for a distraction from his troubles.

"Hello, little lady. What can I do for you?"

A brief twitch of her lips passed almost too quickly for him to spot. If he hadn't been staring at her mouth, thinking of what he could do to her, he would have missed it. As it was, he didn't pay much heed to the rising noise outside of his office.

"You can stand and place your hands were I can see them." His brow furrowed as more people entered the room, all wearing similar windbreakers.

The brunette turned to a small blonde that had stepped up next to her, the black vest emblazoned with large white letters declaring his visitor to be FBI. "Go ahead."

The blonde smirked. "Robin Locksley, you are being detained as a person of interest in an ongoing investigation. Please come with us." She extended a piece of paper to him. Across the top, in bold black type was blazoned the word "WANTED", just above his picture. Next to it, a bright red logo caught his eye and sent his mind into a tailspin. 

Interpol had come for him. 

He continued staring at the paper as his arms were wrenched behind his back and the click of metal cuffs closed around his wrists. 

He should have killed those idiots in Shanghai. He'd known they couldn't be trusted, and now his empire would topple because a couple of goons couldn't keep their mouths shut.

He'd have to call his lawyer. The slimy bastard would earn his retainer. He raised his darkened gaze to his secretary, ready to fire off the order to contact the man.

"Um, sir, your lawyer called. He's firing you as a client."

Robin closed his eyes, allowing himself to be led out of his offices. 

He'd need to keep his mouth shut. No matter what these people did to him, it wouldn't match to what would happen if his business contacts heard he'd talked. 

As it was, he'd be lucky to survive long enough to get a trial. 

He hung his head, not meeting the eyes of any who stared at him as he was paraded through the building. His mind ticked through possibilities and contingencies. Everything was locked down in his condo. The bulk of it was in the second residence he retained for his mistress through backchannels within his organization. He'd instructed her clearly - in the event of any negative action against him, his papers were to be burned and his computers to be destroyed. 

With the care he'd taken to cover his tracks, they should not have found the files that contained the full evidence of exactly what he'd been up to during his time in China. 

\----

Emma stood and stretched, her back and neck popping as she straightened for the first time in hours. There was something about being hunched over the keyboard that always made her feel older than she was. Then again, she shouldn't have been spending quite so much time hunched over it as she used to - that was what she had employees for. 

Or, at least, that was what she was supposed to be having her employees do, until clients got it in their heads that only she could solve their world-ending problems.

Releasing a satisfied sigh, she padded into the living room on bare feet, her legs relishing the activity after such an extended period of stillness. The soft noise of her motion brought the attention of the woman lying in repose on the couch, and more importantly, a broad smile. 

"Done for the day?" 

Leaning over the back of the couch, Emma bent and pressed a kiss to the smooth skin of Regina's forehead. "Mmm. I've got enough information for now. I've got to think it over." Her hand lifted the edge of the book that lay ignored in Regina's lap, one finger marking her spot. "Ah, I wondered when you'd get around to this one."

Regina's cheeks flushed at having been caught out with the latest in her long succession of lesbian romance novels. She cleared her throat and adjusted her position on the couch, hoping that the untoward flush of her cheeks would subside. "Did you want me to start on dinner, then?"

Softly callused fingers brushed against Regina's jawline and tilted her head back. She met Emma's smile directly, the clear affection in her gaze laid bare. "I love you." Slowly, she leaned down again and pressed a gentle, chaste kiss to Regina's lips. 

This did not ease her blush.

Clearing her throat, she stood, setting aside her book and straightening her casual shirt and yoga pants. "If you'd prefer, we can go out."

A dark chuckle sounded and Regina found herself drawn into a sudden embrace, the abruptness of it driving her breath from her lungs with a startled exhalation. "Emma!"

"Our faces are all over New York today, babe. Unless you want Page Six running us, again, we should lay low until at least Saturday." A shiver raced up Regina's spine at the soft, amused tones murmured against her neck. Her hand reached back and curled in the loose blonde hair that continually drove her to distraction. 

"I love showing you off. If I have to wait until Saturday, you're taking me to Le Bernardin." She rested her head against Emma's, smile playing around her mouth. "And we're getting the tasting menu."

A short sharp bark of laughter punctuated the turn that Emma pulled her into, the broad smile on Emma's face displaying exactly what she thought of such an endeavor. She leaned in, her nose almost brushing against Regina's. "As my Queen wishes."

Regina smacked at her shoulder. "You are never going to let me live that down, are you?"

"Maybe when you're ninety."

Rather than form a response, Regina leaned in and gently captured the teasing lips that taunted her incessantly. Slowly, with an unhurried smolder, she pressed against Emma, their mouths moving against each other with an ease born of years of practice. Breaking apart before she could lose herself, Regina dropped a final, quick kiss to Emma's lips.

"Did Jack and Anne-Marie confirm the cupcake order?" 

Emma nuzzled her nose against the curve of Regina's throat. "Yep. Half chocolate, half lemon. They said something about a bonus flavor too, so we're probably gonna get extras. Henry's gonna be thrilled. He's been chattering about the reception for weeks." She pressed a kiss at the juncture of neck and shoulder, the relaxation of their embrace having long since removed the tension left over from her work, and the discussion of their renewal of vows banishing the last of her dark thoughts. "Oh, Lauren sent a heads up. Locksley's in custody."

It took a scant moment before the words registered and Regina's head tilted back in free and open laughter. 

"She couldn't say much, but did let me know that the utility bill you found at his place had come in handy. If I read between the confidentiality clauses correctly, it was for the place where he has his bit on the side."

Regina let out a thoroughly unladylike scoff. "And doubtless he's been seeing her for years."

"Probably. I'm willing to bet he stored most of his ledgers there, too. Idiot." Emma idly ran her mouth along the barely exposed line of Regina's shoulder, the feel of teeth barely scraping the skin sending shivers through the woman in her arms. "Bet he's wishing he'd never tried to topple the Evil Queen from her throne."


End file.
